


Answer to a Nygma Chronicles: Story 1

by SheilaWolfe



Series: Answer to a Nygma Chronicles [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-23
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-22 02:18:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/604731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheilaWolfe/pseuds/SheilaWolfe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anne Sue Nygma is forced into a life of crime when her older brother, Edward, falls under the control of the Mad Hatter. Now Batman and Robin must save the reluctant criminals Riddler and Answer from Hatter's clutches before their time runs out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Darkness swirled with rain as a Mr. E Nygma stormed down the night shrouded streets of Gotham and hurried into and old brick building. The interior had faded tan walls and dim lights that guided his way up the stairs. On the second floor, not even the familiar sight of his apartment door with the number 43 could calm his rising anger. He was digging through his pockets for his keys when a voice floated from out of the dark.

“Mr. Nygma I presume.” The red headed man jumped, startled by the sudden noise, and dropped his recently recovered keys.

“Who’s there?” he asked, scanning the dark with flashing blue eyes. One shadow separated itself from the others. As it stepped into the dim light, the form of a short man appeared. He had a large head, bucked teeth, small blue eyes that darted this way and that, blond hair under a colorful top hat and a colorful suit to match.

“How do you know my name? Who are you?” Nygma glanced the strange man up and down suspiciously. He wasn’t sure if he should trust the colorful clown; it was Gotham City after all.

“Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself.” In one swift move, the stranger took off his hat and stooped into a low bow. “I am the Mad Hatter, one of the many notorious villains in Gotham. You can call me the Hatter if you like, Edward.”

“How do you know me?” Nygma repeated carefully. The man straightened up, holding Edward’s keys in his hand.

“I’ve had my eye on you for some time now, Edward. Can I call you Eddie? You see, I have a proposition for you, Eddie. One you may find quite interesting. I know you are in need of a job.”

“How would you know that?” Edward snapped. “I was just fired today!”

“I told you, I’ve had my eye on you. There is a device I need completed but I’m in need of some help trying to finish it. The whole thing has been a bit of a riddle and I thought you may be the one person smart enough to solve it. I know how much you like a good mind teaser, Eddie. So, what do you say?”

The Hatter stuck out his hand, but Edward just stared at it. After a moment of silence, the blond man pulled his hand back.

“Well I can understand if you don’t want to.” He dropped the keys into the red headed man’s hand and sighed dramatically. “I though you were a man of opportunity, but I guess I was wrong. Jobs are getting so hard to find now and this one would pay really well. Perhaps you aren’t worried about losing the apartment, or your sister.” He glanced at the door in an almost menacing way, but the look was lost in the dark.

“Anyways,” he said, turning his back, “sorry for bothering you. I wish you a good night and good luck finding another job.” He started to walk down the hall with Nygma weighing his options.

“Wait!” he called, making his decision. “How much does it pay?” he asked simply, narrowing his blue eyes. The colorful back stopped and turned to face him.

“That depends,” The Hatter said craftily, placing his hat on his head.

“On what?” Edward asked, his interest peaked.

“On how much you can carry!” The Hatter laughed and walked back over to him. “Come Eddie my friend. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Come back to my place, we’ll talk it over and you can make your decision there.” He wrapped one arm around the taller man's shoulders and led him down the hall.

As they walked away, Ed pocked his key and glanced at the apartment door behind them. “Sorry,” he whispered, turning his eyes away and following the Hatter down the stairs.


	2. Chapter 1

“ _Hey Anne it’s Ed. Just wanted to let you know I won’t be home for a few days. I’m on an emergency business meeting in Metropolis. It shouldn’t take more than a week and I’ll call you as soon as I know more. Take care of yourself until I get back, okay? Love you! Bye!_ ”

Ed’s recorded voice echoed around the small apartment followed by an obnoxious beep. “End of messages,” the answering machine concluded.

It had been two whole weeks since the call with no word from her brother since. "He must really be busy," Anne mused, a nervous twinge tugging at her mind. Something felt wrong. Not just the message but the lack of calls and long trip. It wasn't unusual for Ed to be sent on sudden meetings, it happened a few times before, but he always called; sometimes twice a day if he was worried.

Anne sighed, shrugging off her worries. He might be busy but she was certain he would be back soon.

Stuffing her black leotard in her gym bag, Anne slipped on her shoes and ran out the door, silently hoping there would be a message waiting for her when she got back.

Outside, the day was pleasant with a warm sun and nippy breeze. Cold weather was on the horizon. Anne hunched her shoulders against the wind and started walking. It was early afternoon and the streets of Gotham were crowded with pedestrians going about their daily business.

Gotham Sports Center was only a few blocks away so it wasn’t long before Anne was strolling through the glass doors. Already, other kids from ages twelve to eighteen were warming up. Some were stretching; others were making use of the equipment before the teachers arrived. Anne quickly changed out of her street clothes and joined the stretching group.

She usually didn’t make much conversation with the others. Many of the faces around her were unfamiliar. There were no official classes at Gotham Sports Center so each ‘class’ that Anne took was almost always composed of new people. Occasionally she saw someone familiar but never enough to call them a true acquaintance much less a friend.

The brunette tied her long hair back and took a seat next to a pair of gossiping girls. They seemed a bit older than her and were watching the gymnasts on the equipment as they whispered and giggled. When she sat, though, they turned their attention towards her.

“Hey, did you see the new guy?” one asked, wanting to expand her gossip circle.

“What new guy?” Anne asked, reaching for her left leg. The second girl tossed her black hair over her shoulder.

“Well he’s not really a _new_ guy but he never comes here. Some other people say they saw him once last month but that’s about it.”

Anne nodded slowly, not sure what to gather from the conversation. “So…what about him?”

“Sooo,” the blonde girl sighed, rolling her eyes at Anne's lack of enthusiasm. “He’s a complete babe. And word is he showed up in a fancy car with a driver and everything.”

“Cool,” Anne replied in disinterest, stretching her right arm.

"You don't care? He might be rich or something!"

The brunette shrugged. "It doesn't matter how much money someone has. It's what they do with it that counts."

With a huff, the two girls turned away to continue their discussion, throwing disapporiving looks in Anne's direction between whispers. She just rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at their backs in mature retaliation.

Look there he is!” The blonde grabbed her friend's arm, both instantly forgetting about Anne in favor of their low-key stalking.

Across the room, the much gossiped about boy had appeared to start warm ups on the equipment. Anne had to agree with the others girls, though she would never admit it; he was rather cute with dark hair and tight fitting tank with matching blue pants. He was practicing backhand springs on the balance beam, never missing a single landing. The boy looked completely at ease, like had been doing gymnastics his whole life.

“Alright class,” one of the teachers called, interrupting the girls’ gawking moment. “Everyone take a seat please.”

The teens practicing moved to join the others, the boy included. With a graceful flip, he landed with ease and strolled over to the stretching mats. Quiet chattering started next to Anne between the two girls when they realized he was headed their way and started shoving each other discreetly to make room. Anne scooted away to deny association.

“Is this seat taken?” she heard him ask. It took her a moment to realize he was talking to her. She glanced up to see his blue eyes watching her curiously. Stunned into silence, Anne nodded and made room for him to sit.

“Thanks.” He smiled, taking a seat next to her. She smiled back, earning a few dirty looks form his fan club.

“Alright class,” the teacher repeated for attention. Mr. Arnold, a short fat man in sweats and armed with a whistle. For some reason, he was one of the workers at the Center though he didn’t look like he had ever done anything athletic in his life.

“Today, you will be getting into groups of four to five and rotating between stations. Practice what you can on the equipment and feel free to ask me for help.”

“Maybe we can get him to demonstrate something for us,” Anne muttered sarcastically. She had been in Mr. Arnold's classes before and wasn't a fan of him. He typically just sat back and threw out criticism from the sidelines if he bothered to pay attention at all.

“I bet we could bribe him with a donut,” the boy next to her whispered back with a chuckle. Anne stifled a giggle and tried to look innocent when Mr. Arnold turned their way.

“Now get into your groups. You’ll have fifteen minutes at each station,” the coach recapped, blowing on his whistle harshly. Everyone stood and started for the equipment, already pairing off and look for others to join.

Anne was about to stand when she noticed something hovering in front of her face. The new guy, already on his feet, offering his hand.

“Thanks,” she said, letting him help her up.

“No problem,” he smiled, giving her hand a firm shake. “I’m Richard Grayson. Friends call me Dick, though.”

“Anne Sue Nygma but just Anne is fine." The sudden attention was making her flustered and she internally cringed at the lame introduction. “I don’t mean to be rude but aren’t you Bruce-”

“Wayne’s ward. Yeah,” he finished. “I get that a lot.”

Anne resisted the urge to smack herself in the face. "Right, sorry." Ten seconds after meeting and she was already embarassing herself.

Dick just shrugged. "I don't mind. Most people don't talk to me until they've recognized me." He gestured to the equipment where the other groups were beginning to practice. "Shall we?"

The girl nodded and let him lead the way, trying to think of something to say that didn't have to do with his fame and make her look shallow. Thankfully, Dick seemed more at ease and continued with casual conversation.

“So you come here often?”

“A few times a week. What about you? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

“I’ve come in once or twice but not on a regular basis."

“You’re really good. I saw you practicing earlier.”

“Thanks. I’ve been practicing since I was young, being in the circus and all.”

“I heard about what happened. It must have been..." Anne trailed off, instantly regretting the topic.

After the circus incident years ago, newspapers all over town were writing about the Flying Graysons’ and how their orphaned son was taken in by Millionaire Bruce Wayne. Anne never imagined she would meet him, though, and of course she had to bring up the painful story.

Another awkward conversation just after meeing and probably the worse first impression ever. 

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

“Don’t be, it was years ago.” But there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that made Anne sympathize.

"It can still hurt, though." Anne's green gaze studied the floor. "My parents died in a car crash a few years ago and I still miss them."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I live with my brother now..." The forboding feeling resurfaced as she thought of Ed but the girl forced it back down. "He's really smart but kind of weird. He's obsessed with puzzles and stuff like that."

Dick was frowning in deep thought when she glanced at him, eyebrows pinched as he pondered over something. When he noticed her watching, he replaced it with a quick smile. "Well at least you have your brother."

Their conversation was cut short, though, when Mr. Arnold appeared next to them. “Miss Nygma, if you would kindly join this group over here. They are in need of a fifth member.” He pointed to a group of girls glaring at her like angry hornets with a broken nest. She glared back and crossed her arms. It wasn't Anne's fault the new guy wanted to talk to her.

“And Mr. Grayson, you can join the group by the bars, I’m sure they would be more than delighted to have you.” With that, he waddled away to annoy the other students.

“Well I guess I’ll see you later. Maybe we can hang out after class,” Dick suggested.

Anne gave a quick nod. “Sure.”

“Great, cya then.” Giving a little wave, her new acquaintaince jogged off to join his group while Anne turned to face her own, surprised by the sudden invitation but excited enough look forward to the end of class.


	3. Chapter 2

"Welcome back, Master Bruce," Alfred Pennyworth greeted in his proper English accent as he stepped out of the elevator and into the dimly lit Batcave.

The squeaks and rustles of nesting bats echoed around the cavern, but the human occupants took no notice. For the few people who did know of the seclusive cave system hidden beneath the foundations of Wayne Manor, the bats were a normal part of their lives. "I see you and Master Dick have returned earlier than usual. It's barely four a.m."

"Oh, hey Alfred." Bruce turned from his high tech computer to glance at the butler. Still dressed in his dark cape and menacing cowl, the sight of Batman in the dark was intimidating but the butler knew better than to be scared. At the dark knight's side, a masked teen in a bright uniform and dark cape gave him a questioning look.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" the boy asked, brushing back his black hair.

"You should know, Master Dick," the elderly butler replied, stepping into the light of the monitor, "that I only get as much sleep as the two of you."

The masked figures turned their attention back to the computer. A blond man in colorful clothes filled up most of the screen. Alfred recognized the villain tipping his hat politely. "Jervis Tetch, sir? I thought he left Gotham months ago."

"He's back now," Bruce replied, tapping some keys, "and he brought a friend with him." Replacing Tetch's picture was a new man in a green suit sporting a question mark shaped cane. Behind his purple mask twinkled intelligent blue eyes and short red hair showed beneath his green bowler hat. “He’s calling himself the Riddler.”

“I’ve never seen him before.”

“That’s because he’s new.” Wayne tapped another key. A similar but unmasked version of the man shared the screen. His clothes were different but his blue eyes still sparked with the same cleverness.

“His name is Edward Nygma. Used to work at a computer software and gaming enterprise before he was let off two weeks ago. Tonight, he and the Hatter tried to break into Star Labs.”

“What were they after?”

“No clue.” Bruce slid the cowl back and stared at the screen with fresh blue eyes. “Security was too tight and they disappeared empty handed.”

“But why would the Hatter want this Nygma character working for him?"

“Nygma has an extremely high IQ. Tetch must have a job too complicated for him to solve alone. But Nygma doesn’t have any police record and doesn’t seem the type to suddenly start working for criminals.” Bruce rubbed his chin in thought while Alfred studied the computer.

“Perhaps he is being blackmailed. Does he have any friends or family?”

“He has a younger sister.” Wayne tapped the keys and the criminals were replaced with the image of a teenage girl with long, brown hair and green eyes. “Anne Nygma. After their parents died in a car crash, she went to live with him.”

“Then it would make sense for this Nygma guy to work for the Hatter. They probably have his sister,” Robin pointed out.

“No one from her school has filed a missing persons report to the police?” Alfred asked.

“Says here she online classes. The only place that would notice a disappearance is the Gotham Sports Center downtown. She has a scholarship there for gymnastics but she hasn’t missed any days.”

“Gotham Sports Center? Isn’t that where you attend classes, Master Dick?” Alfred asked, glancing at Bruce’s ward.

“Yeah sometimes,” Richard answered. He studied the girl for a moment but eventually shrugged. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her.”

“Well you’ll be seeing her tomorrow,” Bruce concluded, turning from the computer. “She has a class and I want you to be there. The Hatter may not have taken her but he’s probably having her trailed to keep Nygma in line. I’ll check out the apartment while you keep an eye on the girl.”

Dick nodded, taking one last look at the picture on the screen.

wvw

“Blast!” The Mad Hatter slammed his gloved fist down on the table angrily. Across from him, the Riddler regarded him coolly through his purple mask.

“Well what did you expect?” he asked snidely, twirling his cane. “That we would waltz in and take what we wanted?”

The two men were sitting in the middle of an old warehouse by the docks. Abandoned for years, the rickety wood building served as a good hide out. Other than the oil drums shoved against the walls, it had a homey charm to it if you could get passed the smell.

“I assumed you would be able to get us in,” the blond man barked crossly. Their plan to break into Star Labs had failed when the alarm systems were set off. Without the targeted item, they were forced to run before the cops showed up.

Nygma tugged his purple gloves tighter, unimpressed by the Hatter’s temper.

“I’m just the brains. What about you’re goons? Aren’t they here for this very reason?” Edward gestured over his shoulder to the thugs standing near the door, armed with guns and dumb muscle. There were only five of them but five was all that was needed to cover an escape.

“None of them can get through the security. We need a cat burglar for that.”

“Why not get Catwoman?” Hatter just shook his head irritably at the suggestion, almost toppling his color patched top hat in the process.

“Already tried. Catwoman hasn’t been seen in months. She’s keeping under the radar and no one knows how to find her. Word is she may not even be in Gotham.”

“Ah, well that’s too bad. I guess we’re out of luck,” Riddler sighed but the Hatter suddenly had an idea.

“Not exactly.”

“You know another thief for hire?” Riddler asked. Something about the Hatter's sneeer made him uneasy.

“Not a thief but an acrobat.” The Hatter stood and walked around the table, studying Edward with his beady eyes. “And I’m sure they’ll be willing to help.”

“Oh really? Who?” Riddler leaned on his cane, puzzled and suspicious of the colorfully clad man.

“Your sister is a gymnast, right? Perhaps she would be a valuable member to our little team.”

Nygma was on his feet in an instant, blue eyes flashing with anger. “No Hatter. You leave her out of this.”

“Now now, Eddie, don’t be like that,” the Hatter chuckled darkly. Even with Edward looming over him, he remained unruffled. “All I need is for her to steal the parts and for you to put humpty dumpty together. Once the device is complete, you and your sister can walk away with all the money you need without any problems.”

“You still haven’t told me what the device is."

“Ah ah ah,” the Hatter waved his finger, chastising him like a child. “That’s my little secret and I told you not to worry about it. All you need to know is it will make us rich. But before we can get paid, we will need your sister.”

“I said no Hatter,” Edward growled, pointing the end of his cane and wielding it like a weapon. “And if you drag Anne into this I swear I’ll…”

“You’ll what, Eddie?” Hatter challenged, taking a remote out of his pocket. He flicked a button and Riddler’s bowler hat gave a fierce shock. With a groan, the red headed man slumped to the floor unconscious.

“Sorry about that Eddie. You might be valuable to me but I can’t have you interfering with my plans.” Turning to the thugs behind him, he gave a sweet, menacing smile.

“Bring the Nygma girl to me. I have a business proposition for her. She may just be the answer to our problem.”


	4. Chapter 3

Time seemed to crawl slower than usual but finally Mr. Arnold blew his whistle to dismiss them. Anne ended her tumble with a practiced flip and rushed to the locker room to change. A few minutes later, she made her way to the lobby. There was no sign of Dick amongst the crowd gathered at the glass doors, watching the rain pour on the other side.

Anne groaned. Rain hadn’t been predicted so she didn't think to bring an umbrella. The other teens from her class seemed to be thinking the same thing. Most were on cell phones arranging for a ride. A few were on the sidewalk, sheltered under jackets trying to hail a taxi.

Without a phone or pocket change, Anne was left with the options of waiting out the storm or braving the weather and getting soaked on the way home. Both such tempting ideas in her opinion.

Dark clouds promised a few good hours of downpour and a rainy Gotham street was better than a rainy Gotham street at night. With a sigh, Anne shouldered her bag and shoved the door open. Cold wind tore at her bare arms and loose hair, making her shiver and retreat back inside the warm building. Now she was regretting bring an umbrella _and_ a jacket.

“Bit cold for a walk, huh?” a voice asked out of nowhere. Anne jumped and spun around to see Dick standing behind her, wearing average jeans and a t-shirt in place of his training clothes. She hadn’t heard him walk up and wondered how long he had been standing there. What was he, a ninja?

“Just a bit,” she chuckled, trying to get over her mini heart attack. Over his shoulder, Anne could see his fan club ogling from a distance. Richard didn’t seem to notice.

“Didn’t bring your umbrella?” he asked, studying the weather hammering the street just outside.

“I left it at home,” Anne admitted. From across the room she could hear the other girls snickering. Her face turned red as she threw them a glare.

Dick smiled, producing a folded back object from behind his back. "Well if you want we can share mine."

The fan girls’ faces ranged from shocked to loathing at the offer. Anne just stared at him in baffled silence.

“There’s this nice place just a few blocks over,” the boy continued, scratching his hair bashfully as he spoke. “We could get some coffee if you have time. Or if maybe some other time would be better…”

Anne snapped out of her confusion. “No, uh, today is fine,” she answered answered. “I’d love to have coffee.”

“Great,” Richard beamed, opening the door for them to exit. Outside, he snapped the umbrella open and the two took shelter from the assaulting rain as they made their way down the street.

wvw

“You sure she’s in there?” one thug asked skeptically.

“I think so. We saw her go in,” the other replied, leaning over the steering wheel for a closer look out the rain pattered windshield. They were parked just outside Gotham Sport Center in a white van, complete with tinted windows and fake plates. A bit cliché for a kidnapping but it would do the job.

“I think I see her,” their third guy called from the back. Sure enough, a girl with long brown hair was standing just inside the glass doors chatting with a dark haired boy.

“Who’s that with her?”

“Who cares,” the driver snapped, leaning back in his seat. “Just keep an eye on her; she’ll have to leave soon.”

“Yeah but we can’t nab her if her boyfriend’s hanging around, Luke.”

“He won’t be a problem,” Luke laughed, hitting the windshield wipers to clear his view. “We’ll get the girl one way or another.”

As if he could hear their conversation, the boy suddenly shifted his gaze to the van and paused with an icy glare. All of the thugs froze under the piercing look.

“Guys, you don’t think he can see us, do you?” Frank asked, eyeing the tinted windows.

“You worry too much, Frankie,” Earl chuckled, but it wasn’t until the youth’s attention was drawn back to the conversation did he breathe easy.

“Still don’t see why boss needs this girl so bad,” Frank groaned, sinking further into his seat. “Do I look like a babysitter to you?”

“No but you’ll look like a well paid man if we do our job."

“Hey,” Earl broke in, leaning excitedly between the seats to point. “She’s leaving!”

“Finally!” Frank cried, straightening up as Luke started the engine. “Hold up, she’s still with that kid!”

“Don’t worry." The driver smirked as he pulled away from the curb. “We’ll follow and wait. She’ll have to be alone at some point.”

...

Three blocks and a right turn later, Anne and Dick had managed to stay mostly dry with their shared spaced under the umbrella. As they walked, they chatted about class and different tricks they were working on and Dick even told her some about the circus her grew up in.

"That had to be fun, getting to travel and perform when you were so young," Anne said, stepping over a puddle.

"Yeah it was pretty cool. Everyone was like family and got along really well. I liked to help out with the animals when I wasn't practicing or doing homework."

"Do you miss it?"

Dick shrugged. "Sometimes. Bruce's been good to me, though, and it's nice being able to stay in one place for more than a few days. You meet a lot of people when you travel but I never made a lot of friends."

"Well, Mr. Grayson," Anne spoke with mock seriousness, "as long as you don't plan on running away to the circus again, I do believe we can be good friends."

"That's good to know. Here it is." He turned and led them under the canopied entrance of a fancy hotel, complete with doorman standing at attention.

"Uh, are you sure this is the right place?" Anne asked as the doors were opened for them and they stepped inside the building. The lobby was busy with staff and clients bustling about. Carts loaded with luggage wheeled back and forth as hurried men and women brushed passed them, going in and out on business. 

As the teens avoided dripping water on the polished floor, a tall man in a crisp suit approached them. "Good afternoon sir, miss. Checking in or dining?"

"Dining please," Richard answered.

"Very good, sir." The man gestured to some nearby staff who rushed to attention. "Would you like for me to take your effects?" The dripping umbrella and the gym bags were nearly snatched from their hands and carried away by bellboys before the stunned girl could decline. "I'll have them waiting for you when you leave. The elevator is this way."

Anne was too busy to process the flurry of service, she almost didn't hear Dick ask, "You coming?" and nod towards the elevator being called for them. Flushing red, she followed him into the lift. The boy pressed a button and the doors closed, leaving them alone in the small space.

"Sorry about that," Richard spoke first, giving her an apologetic smile. "Bruce comes by here for lunch whenever he gets a chance so we're recognized pretty easily."

"It's okay. Just a little overwhelming." Anne let out a shaky laugh, glancing at the climbing numbers displayed on the wall. "I thought we were going to a cafe or something."

"Sort of. It's this restaurant on the top floor for Bruce's country club. It's got a great view of the city and the best coffee in Gotham."

The elevator dinged to a stop and the doors opened.

Anne stared with wide, green eyes. The room was spacious and brightly lit with windows for walls. Tables were set up across the floor, dressed with white tableclothes and set with porcelain plates, polishes silverware, and fresh cut flowers in miniature crystal vases. A dozen guests were already partaking in a late lunch, some dressed in business clothes from work, others in fancy attire for formal events later in the evening. Uniformed servers darted from table to table, refilling drinks and taking away plates as discreetly as possible. All of it reeked of money and Anne felt overwhelmingly misplaced.

The instant they were off the elevator, a peppy hostess greeted them with a dazzling smile. "Welcome to L'Etage Superieur. Will Mr. Waybe be joining you today, Mr. Grayson?"

Dick shook his head, unfazed by the recognition. "No, just us two."

"Of course. I'll have his table set up for you right away."

The woman turned and whispered something to a passing waiter who only nodded and disappeared briskly to make preperations.

"If I had known we were going somewhere fancy, I would have worn my nice sneakers," Anne muttered to Dick who only snickered.

"I come here all the time like this and they haven't mentioned anything yet."

She threw him a dry look. "But you're rich."

"Nope, Bruce is rich. I just get an allowance," he winked and Anne couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe next time you can wear your fancy sneakers and we can check out this Jazz cafe across town. The food's good and there's live music."

Anne nearly choked. "Next time?"

"This way please," another host appeared, interrupting the conversation. He turned on his heels and led the way through the crowded dining room. No one took notice of them, much to Anne's relief, but she stayed close to Richard, who seemed accustomed to the ritzy atmosphere.

The host stopped short next to a private table on" the far side of the room. "Here we are. We are having a special of tomato basil soup and fresh baked salmon. Jenny will be with you momentarily."

He walked away, leaving the teens to look over the menu. From the window, Anne could see the whole city and all the tiny dots of people as they milled their way along the street below. Droplets of rain collected and trickled down down the glass, leaving sparkling streams of water in their wake.

"Nice view, huh?" Dick asked, recapturing her attention.

"Yeah. It's really high up."

His smile fell. "You aren't scared of height's, are you?"

Anne chuckled. "No, but I wouldn't want to try my odds at falling."

"It's fun as long as someone's there to catch you."

"Says the former trapeze artist."

"Hi you two," another voice cut in, making them both jump. Another woman had appeared, armed with a pen and pad. "I'm Jenny. I'll be your waitress this afternoon. Care to start off with something to drink?"

"Two coffees please," Richard answered, glancing over at Anne. "Did you want anything else?"

"No, just coffee's fine with me. I'm not really that hungry..." Anne trailed off as she glanced at her menu and her jaw almost hit the table when she saw the prices.

Nine dollars for coffee? And that was just one cup! Not to mention how much a meal cost.

"There is no way I can afford this!" she gasped, tossing the menu down like she might have to pay for that too.

"Don't worry, I got it," the rich boy said, making Anne narrow her eyes.

"Okay, I'll have those coffees right out for you." The waitress scurried back to the kitchen while Anne continued to scrutinize the boy from across the table.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Don't play dumb with me!" she snapped, a bit harsher than intended. Anne frowned and spoke again with a more questioning approach. "I mean, why are you being so nice to me? I just met you and you took me to a fancy restaraunt and bought me a rediculously expensive cup of coffee. Is it because you like showing off how rich you are? Or did you just want to annoy those other girls at the gym? I’m sure one of them would have jump at the chance to walk in the rain.” 

Dick looked confused by her accusations and rushed to defend himself. “What? No! None of those reasons! I just wanted to get to know you better.”

"But why?” Anne crossing her arms defiantly and waited. 

There was a brief silence as Richard pondered his answer, watching the rain fall outside. Finally he sighed, turning to her with a serious stare. “Because you were the only girl there who didn’t care about my status or money; well Bruce's money, technically. I think you're honest and kind and I would rather have you for a friend than the other girls who didn’t even bother to learn my name. Plus I like your laugh.”

Anne was stunned. His blue eyes were deep and true with just a hint of a bashful blush. He meant every word he said, she couldn’t deny that, but there was something else hidden there. She felt there was another reason for him approaching her at the Center but she couldn’t figure it out. Shaking it off as paranoia, she decided to return her trust.

“That,” she said gravely, unfolding her arms and leaning forward, “was the corniest thing I have ever heard.”

They both stared at each other seriously for a few tense seconds before bursting out laughing.

When the waitress returned, she was surprised to find the two teens she had left glaring at each other were now cackling over some sort of joke.

“Here’s your coffee,” she announced, setting the two cups down on the table.

“Thank you,” Anne giggled, earning a concerned look from Jenny before she scooted off to take care of her other customers.

“Here’s to corny friendship,” Dick toasted. Anne lifted her cup in agreement and took gentle sip. Her face suddenly turned blank again.

“You weren’t lying,” she admitted stoically.

“About what?” It was Richard’s turn to be confused.

“This is one good cup of coffee,” Anne answered, immediately breaking down into laughter again followed immediately by her new friend.

“Told you; the best in Gotham.”


	5. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sheila Wolfe here! Holy shnikes this chapter is looooooong. It took forever to actually finish the dang thing but here it is in all its Mad Hatter glory! Hope you guys enjoy! This one was unbeta'd so there might be some errors here and there. I'll fix them as I find them. Leave a comment to let me know what you think and, hopefully, I'll have another chapter up soon. As always, thanks so much for reading!
> 
> Love,  
> Sheila Wolfe ^~^

About an hour later, the rain had let up enough for the two teens to leave the shelter of the lobby. A relentless drizzle kept them under the shared umbrella but it was a short walk back to Anne’s apartment.

“Is this it?” Dick asked once they turned onto the street. The brick building seemed even dingier in the soggy weather.

Anne nodded, embarrassed by the shabby appearance. “Yeah, it’s not a mansion but it’s a roof over our heads. Better than what some people have.”

“Mansions are overrated. Come on, I’ll walk you in.”

“You sure?” Anne panicked. The inside was a bit run down on the cleanest of days and after skipping her chores for most of the week, Anne doubted it would be presentable for guests even with a quick tidy. "It's kind of messy. I haven't had a chance to clean up."

Dick just laughed. "I don't mind. You should see my room. If it wasn’t for Alfred, I don’t know what I’d do.”

“Alfred?”

“He’s the butler,” he explained, smiling sheepishly.

It was Anne’s turn to laugh. “ _Ooh_ look at you, Mr. Fancy, with your butler and big mansion,” she teased, leading the way off the curb to cross the street. “Does he drive you around in a big fancy limo and pick out your clothes, too?”

“Only on special occasions,” Richard replied, sticking his tongue out.

Before they had reached the other side of the road, though, a white van suddenly screeched around the corner, tires spinning on the wet asphalt as the vehicle thundered towards the two teens.

“Look out!” Richard shouted, shoving Anne out of the way, just barely dodging its path himself. The van spun between them and jolted to a halt. The sliding door facing Anne opened and two men jumped out. Anne, who had landed in the swollen gutter, didn't have time to react before a dark and smelly bag was jerked over her head. The men each grabbed an arm and yanked her off the ground.

“Let go! Get off me!” She struggled and fought against them but they were too strong. Keeping her arms locked in grips of iron, she was easily hauled over to the van.

“We should have gagged her,” one of the guys muttered, tying her hands behind her before shoving her forward. Without a way to catch herself, Anne landed on her side inside the vehicle.

“Let’s just go, the boss is waiting,” another voice snapped followed by the loud slam of the side door closing.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the van, Dick had stumbled back to his feet just as the tires started spinning and the vehicle took off. With only seconds to act, Dick quickly fished out a small circle from inside his pocket and tossed it. The magnetic device attached itself to the back doors just before the retreating van jerked around a corner and disappeared.

Dick scowled and took out his cell phone to dial Bruce.

The line picked up after the first ring. "What happened?"

“They got her. I tried to stop them but they almost hit us with a van and drove off with her,” Dick fumed, pacing angrily along the empty street.

“Are you alright?” Bruce asked coolly, unsurprised by the turn of events. Though it did take a lot to surprise Batman.

“I’m fine,” the sidekick grumbled, rubbing his sore shoulder. The only real bruising was to his ego.

“Did you get a tracker on the van?”

“Yeah. It should lead us to where they’re taking her.”

“And where the Hatter is hiding. Alfred’s on his way. I’ll meet you in the Batcave.”

Richard stopped pacing. “Did you find something?”

“Maybe.” Then the line went dead.

wvw

The ride was uncomfortable and frightening. Anne sat on the floor of the van, fighting back the panic tightening in her chest. With her arms tied behind her back, it took most of her concentration to stay sitting up as each bump and turn threatened to throw her off balance. The bag was still over her head so her vision was limited but she could still hear. And talk.

“Who are you guys?” she demanded when curiosity finally got the best of her. “What do you want? If it’s money, I hate to break it to you but I don’t have any.”

“Shut up, will ya?” a gruff voice answered. It sounded far ahead, most likely the driver or someone in the passenger seat, and she could hear the heavy breaths of a second person next to her. Two, maybe three in the van with her but Anne couldn't be sure that was all.

She wasn't even sure about Dick. Her last memory of him was being pushed out of the way when the van appeared. If they were lucky, he hadn't be grabbed and could get help. Another part of her wondered if the kidnappers had been after Dick in the first place, hoping to ransom the rich boy back to the police and Anne had just been caught in the middle of it.

"Where's my friend?" she said, voice muffled through the heavy fabric over her face. "You weren't after him, were you?"

“Who's she talking about?” a voice muttered on her left. He didn’t sound as up to speed as his partners. “Were we supposed to grab someone else?”

A more nasally voice answered from the front seat. “Nah, the boss just said the girl.”

Anne slumped, both relieved and sad she was alone. At least Dick would have the cops looking for her by now.

With her first question answered, the girl decided to try her luck. "So, who's your boss? And what do they want with me?"

“Jeez, Frank, keep her quiet, will ya? She’s giving me a headache.”

“Shut up, Earl, you’re giving _me_ a headache. We’re almost there so just quit you’re whining."

The vehicle lurched as its tires went from asphalt to something rough and bumpier. A sudden left turn threw Anne as the van screeched to a halt.

“Frank, grab the girl and try to keep her quiet. Earl, you let the boss know we’re here.”

A metallic slide grated against Anne's ears as the doors were opened and rough hands dragged her off the floor. The ground was uneven beneath her feet and she stumbled more than once as she was blindly led forward. Through the musty bag, the smell of salt, low tide, and a hint of gas filtered through. The sky was opening again, a gentle mist brushing Anne's skin as the repeative patter of rain on water echoed only a stone's throw away. The sounds of distant boats and seagulls blurred to muffled footsteps as she was led into a building. Fumes and dust clogged her throat as hushed voices drew close enough to understand.

"Ah, Miss Nygma!" one greeted like an old friend. "Please, come in! Would you like a seat?"

A waiting chair appeared behind her knees and the hand at her shoulder forced her to sit. Another yanked the bag off her head without warning, leaving her temporarily blinded by the sudden light.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust. She was seated before a dimly lit table, covered in finger sandwiches, and an elaborate teaset. Delicate china cups sat on small saucers while a matching teapot brewed something sweet smelling in the center.

Across from her was a strange looking man with beady eyes and pale hair sticking out from under a colorful top hat. He was grinning at her with a mix of excitment and triump that sent a chill down Anne's spine. "

"I don't suppose I have a choice."

The man frowned slightly. "I do apologize for my men's behavior." He gave pointed glare to the bulky thugs lurking around them and shook his head. "They are a bit uncouth and don't know how to properly treat a lady. Gentlemen, untier her, please. I do believe Miss Nygma will be cooperative."

One of the men pulled a knife and cut the ropes. Anne shot him a dirty look as she rubbed her raw wrists, noting that he stayed positioned behind her chair. No chance of running, then. Anne turned her glare to the boss and recieved a crooked smile in return.

“Would you like some tea?” A steaming cup was poured and offered to her. "I wasn't sure which you preferred so I went with my personal favorite."

“I don't really like tea,” she rejected coolly, crossing her arms.

The man’s grin faded into a thin line. “Indeed,” he muttered, setting the cup down on the table. His blue eyes flashed knowingly. “You do seem to enjoy coffee, though. Tell me, how did you enjoy your date with your little boyfriend?”

Anne’s green eyes went wide with surprise. “He’s not my boy–how long have you been watching me?” she demanded, jumping to her feet only to be yanked back in her seat.

“Long enough.” The smirk was back, more deranged and less friendly in it's return. Anne swallowed nervously.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

“Oh forgive me! My manners must be slipping!” He stood with a flourish and swept his hat off with a bow. “The Mad Hatter, at your service!”

The girl stared at him in confusion, wondering just how mad of a man she was dealing with. “Like Alice in Wonderland?”

 The Hatter nodded excitedly. “Yes! Exactly! I knew you would be clever, just like your brother!”

Anne went cold. She gripped the seat of her chair tightly until her knuckles went white. “My brother? How do you know my brother?”

“Oh Eddie? He’s a dear friend of mine and my newest partner in crime!” the blond man chuckled, gently topping his hat again.

“No. You’re wrong. My brother isn’t a criminal!”

“ _Wasn’t_ a criminal, my dear! But you see, times are hard and poor Eddie needed some help. So I got him a new job working for me.”

Anne shook her head, fury rolling off her as she fought to stay seated. “I don’t believe you.”

“Fair enough,” the Hatter shrugged. “I guess he'll have to tell you himself. Eddie, come say hello to our guest! Don't be shy!"

From the shadows emerged another man, this one dressed in a green suit. Tucked under one arm was a question mark shaped cane. A green bowler hat perched on familiar red hair and a purple mask obscured his face. Even with it, though, Anne could easily recognize him.

No one stopped her as she jumped up and ran to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. “Ed! You’ve been gone for weeks! What happened? You said you were going to Metropolis! Tell me you’re not working for this guy!”

Silence answered. Ed didn’t move. He didn’t speak. She glanced up and noticed his blank expression, oblivious to her presence. Her brother was like a statue, completely void of emotion and thought. Anne took a step back and waved her hand in front of his eyes, hoping to get some sort of reaction, but they continued to stare at nothing.

“Ed? It’s me, Anne! Can you hear me? Snap out of it!” A laugh from behind caught her attention. The Hatter was giggling uncontrollably at her pleads, leaning against the table to keep from falling over.

“He can’t hear you, my dear. Riddler and I had a little disagreement on policy so I've been keeping him under complete control for the time being thanks to that nifty little hat I made him."

Anne eyed the green bowler with narrow eyes. "Why do you need him? Let us go," she demanded, frustrated tears threatening to spill. She wouldn't admit it but she was scared. Her brother was one of the few people she could rely on and now he was a puppet to some psychopath in a top hat.

“I will, Miss Nygma. Can I call you Annie?"  The Hatter glanced at her when she didn't respond and shrugged, pouring himself some tea before continuing. "To answer your question, I'm working on a little invention I've been wanting to try for quite some time. Something that will make me rich beyond my wildest dreams."

"What does it have to do with us?"

“Why, I thought you'd never ask!” the Hatter exclaimed. "The last few pieces I need are locked up tight and you have quite a unique skill in gymnastics that could help us acquire them."

"You mean _steal_ them."

“Well when you put it that way, yes. It’s only a few trinkets here and there. Once I have them, your clever brother can use that big brain of his to put everything together and I'll let you both walk away with all the money you could ever want."

“Just like that?”

“Just like that,” he nodded. “So what do you say?" 

Anne glanced back and forth between the Hatter and her brother, wondering what to do. She wanted to help Ed but she wasn’t a criminal. The thought of helping the Hatter turned her mouth dry as sawdust. And even if she did helped, there was no guarantee Hatter would keep his word.

“Perhaps you need some more incentive,” the Hatter broke her train of thought, taking a remote out of his colorful coat. He pressed a single button and the statue of her brother came to life.

“What the…where am I? What happened?” Ed muttered, shaking his head slowly as his senses slowly returned. When he noticed the crowd gathered, his blue eyes widened behind his mask. “Anne? How did you get here?”

“Ed!” She hugged him again. This time, she was relieved to feel him return the embrace. The tears that had threatened to spill before trickled down her cheeks and dropped onto his ridiculous costume.

“Anne, are you alright? They didn’t hurt you, did they?” Ed pulled back enough to look down and check his sister for injuries. She just shook her head.

“I’m fine. We’re both fine. Come on, we can get out of here and pretend this never happened.”

“I wouldn’t count on that, my dear,” the Hatter interrupted. The Nygmas’ attention quickly turned to him. Ed's furious gaze was drilling straight through Hatter like bullets. 

“I told you to leave her out of this, Jarvis!” he snapped, pulling Anne gently until she was shielded behind him. “You let her go this instant or–”

“Didn’t you learn last time, Eddie?” The Hatter hit another button on his remote. The bowler hat suddenly sparked to life, releasing enough volts to make Ed cry out and fall to his knees.

“Stop it! Don’t hurt him!” Anne pleaded, unable to help her brother as he was shocked and tormented. “I’ll help! I’ll do whatever you want! Just please don’t hurt him!”

[Edit in progress]

Hatter gave her a wicked sneer. "Now that's what I like to hear." He clicked the remote again and the bowler shut off. Ed stilled and slumped forward, two of the thugs catching him under his arms before he hit the ground. Anne watched as they dragged him away, a cold numbness spreading through her. 

“Well my dear, it seems we are in business together. And I trust you will be cooperative with our arrangement. Otherwise,” her new boss waved the remote menacingly and she could only nod. “That’s a good girl. I knew you would be just the answer to my problem. And, now that our business is done, we can move forward with the plan.”

He handed a folded note to one of the henchmen and nodded towards Anne. “You gentlemen escort our little Annie home. Gently this time, lads. She is a lady, after all, and working with us now." He gave the girl a smile like he'd done her a favor. "Instructions are on the paper. Follow them and make sure you aren’t late." He took his hat off and bowed. "Until next time, little Annie.”

As Anne was led to the exit, the Hatter called out, “Oh and one more thing. If you tell the police or anyone else about our little agreement, I’ll make sure your dear brother’s hat has a deadly malfunction.”

Shuddering at the threat, Anne nodded once more before a blindfold was pulled over her eyes and she was taken away.


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sheila Wolfe lives! I know it's been a while since I've updated anything but after moving and dealing with one crisis after another, I'm trying to get back into writing on a regular basis. I may not be able to update again for another few weeks, I have a funeral coming up that I need to attend, but I wanted to give you this since it's been ready for a few days now. It's kind of short but I've already started on the next chapter so with any luck it should be continuing soon. I'm also going to include some quick notes at the end explaining more about which universe this is based in since I've had a few people asking. But for now enjoy, thanks for being patient, constructive feed back is always welcome, and I shall see you all in the next chapter!
> 
> ~ Sheila Wolfe ^~^

Bruce was seated at the large computer, the bluish light throwing a glowing circle around him that could only penetrate so far into the gloom of the cave. His narrowed eyes scanned each of the large screens, one with profiles on Hatter and Riddler, the opposite listing items at the lab they might be targeting. The largest monitor kept a constant feed of the GPS tracer.

The whoosh of the elevator echoed against the walls and quiet footsteps tapped against stone in the dark. “Welcome back,” Bruce said, barely glancing from the screen.

“Anything on the van?” Dick asked, a towel draped over his shoulders as he rubbed his hair dry. “I would have gotten down here sooner but Alfred made me change.”

There was a tisk as the butler appeared behind him, a tray with a steaming teapot and two tea cups balanced on one hand. “If you would rather catch a cold, Master Dick, be my guest. I brought some tea for the both of you just in case. It’s supposed to be quite chilly tonight.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” Bruce nodded, taking the offered drink but setting it down on the desk to tap the keyboard. “So far I tracked the van going east towards the docks. It was only there for about ten minutes then went on the move again.”

Dick leaned in to watch the circle flash and dance over the map. “To where?”

Another keystroke and the map zoomed in close and backtracked the trail enough to see the street it had stopped on an hour before. “Back to Nygma’s apartment. Either she’s working with them or Hatter’s using her as a hostage to keep Edward in line.”

“Well she’s didn’t go willingly so I’d say we can safely rule out accomplice,” the teen interjected.

Bruce frowned. “Maybe not but it still doesn’t seem to add up. Why take her now after Nygma’s already been cooperative so far? They must of hit a bump in their plans and need her for something else.”

“Something else, sir? Seems unlikely,” Alfred spoke, busying himself with laying out ironed capes and polished belts. “I don’t doubt the young lady’s intelligence but with two criminals as smart as they are, I wonder why they would need someone they would consider of a lesser mind. And I wouldn’t figure Nygma the type of man to force his own _sister_ to a life of crime.”

“It could be something else we’re not seeing. Did you get anything from her when you talked?” the older man asked Dick.

He shrugged. “Not really. She’s pretty good at gymnastics but other than that, she just seemed like a normal girl.”

“Whatever they need her for we need to find out. Dick, you’ll check the apartment and see if the girl’s there. I’ll keep an eye on where this van is headed and see if it turns up any new leads.”

“Right.”

The two turned and disappeared into the cave to change while the butler only sighed and tidied up the cool, neglected tea.

wvw

It was still raining when Anne was shoved roughly out of the van. The ride back had been tense and silent, the bag not as claustrophobic as last time but just as uncomfortable. No one spoke to her and she wasn’t sure where she was until the hood was yanked off and the door pulled opened. She stumbled on her feet as she was immediately assaulted by sheets of water, drenching her from head to toe for the countless time that day. The mank taste of the bag still tickled her nose and made her want to gag.

“Don’t forget, little lady; no telling, no running, no being late.” The paper in her hand crinkled as she clenched her fist and glared, the man’s sneer prominent as the window rolled up between them. “Cya tonight, partner.”

The vehicle revved and pulled away from the curb, leaving the girl abandoned in front of her apartment building. She watched until they were out of sight before stepping inside the building and sloshing up to the second floor.

When the door opened to the apartment, it was like nothing had changed. Everything looked the same. Same mess. Same hideous blanket draped over the worn couch. Same dishes piling up in the kitchen that Anne didn’t want to wash. Same dirty clothes she needed to pick up. Same answering machine displaying one saved message.

The message from Edward. From Ed lying about being in Metropolis. From him covering up his new criminal life.

Anne kicked her shoes off and leaned against the door. All her energy was drained, washed away with the rain tapping persistently against the window. She slid down to sit and hugged her knees to her chest. The chill of the room nipped at her still wet clothes and dark hair as they dripped onto the carpet.

She though briefly about Dick and wondered he had called the police like she had originally hoped. With the lack of cops investigating the area she doubted so. More than likely, the rich boy had run away and abandoned Anne like her brother had. It wouldn’t surprise her at this point and it saved the girl from having to come up with some sort of lie about not obviously being kidnapped.

The clock on the wall chimed half past some hour. Anne barely glanced at it, wondering how much time she had and remembered the note. She opened her hand, still clenched in a tight fist, and laid the paper out. It was a bit damp at the corners but still legible with colorful scrawl against a bright yellow background.

_Gotham Museum of Science and Natural History. 11 O’clock. Back entrance. Stay inconspicuous. Do wear something comfortable and Don’t Be Late._

The girl glowered and crumpled the paper, chucking it across the room where it hit the wall with an unsatisfying pat. She glanced at the clock again. A quarter to seven.

“Can’t go to the cops. Can’t abandon Eddie. Can’t stop Hatter on my own. Too bad I don’t have Batman on speed dial.” The more she tried to find an escape, the more hopeless the situation seemed to become. Anne sighed and pulled herself to her feet, watching as the clock ticked down her decision.

A hot shower and dry change of clothes later, Anne collapsed on the couch to catch as much sleep as possible, the alarm next to her set to go off at ten thirty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Story note time: For this story, I based the characters and setting on Batman the Animated Series. I grew up watching the show so for the most part, the heroes, villians, setting, and tone will be based on this specific version. The only character I've taken the liberty of change a bit is Robin/Dick Grayson (And yes I am immature and giggle everytime I type his name). Since I plan on continue this story into the Teen Titans series (No. Not Teen Titans Go! The original), I made him a bit younger than he was in the Batman series and based some of his characterization off the Teen Titans version. (And yes the Robin in Teen Titans is Dick Grayson I have proof fight me.) I also want to continue the series to include so of the other Batman mythos such as introducing some of the other characters that were a big part of the comic books and shows and even some of the new movies such as Under the Red Hood and Son of Batman but we shall see how that goes as the story progresses. Anyways, thank you guys so much for reading! I appreciate your support and love you guys so much! <3 If you have any questions related to the story, the characters, the based universe, or even just in general, I will be happy to answer your questions to the best of my abilities (I dedicate too much of my time to researching Batman).
> 
> ~ Sheila Wolfe ^~^


	7. Chapter 6

Ten till. Hatter snapped his watch shut and tucked it into the pocket of his purple waistcoat.

“I don’t think she’s coming, boss.”

Hatter tutted. “Such lack of faith. Our little Annie has a few minutes left. Let’s see what she makes of them.”

The henchman shrugged and continued his pacing along the alley while his partner stifled a yawn. The rain had stopped hours before, leaving glistening puddles scattered like mirrored traps along the ground. A streetlight flickered and faded to black as Hatter and his men sheltered in the shadows of the museum’s back entrance. Only workers and delivery men ever used it and the late hour left only the night guard to roam the exhibits.

With a huff, the Hatter took out the watch again to check the time. Five more minutes.    

“Any minute now,” he murmured to himself, watching the minute hand tick closer to the hour.

“Waiting for me?” a female voice startled the three men. They turned to see a figure appear from around the corner of the building. As it stepped from the shadow, they recognized Anne dressed in exercise pants, sneakers, and a jacket tossed over an old leotard. The hood was pulled up to obscure her face and a scarf wrapped around her neck, pulled up to just brush under her nose.

“Ah, at last!” Hatter’s face broke into a yellowed smile, the pocket watch falling shut as he strolled over to the girl. “Our associates were beginning to doubt you would ever arrive, my dear. I had faith in you, though.”

Anne shifted uncomfortably as Hatter hugged his arm around her shoulders.

“Interesting ensemble, don’t you think,” he frowned slightly, a gloved hand tugging at the scarf. “Is it that cold, Annie, or are you impersonating a ninja?”

“I may be helping you, Hatter, but I don’t exactly want the cops knowing about it,” she said, nodding towards the security camera mounted above the back door. “Aren’t they going to see us?”

Hatter laughed. “Clever as always, little Annie. Don’t worry, we won’t be staying long. The museum isn’t our target tonight, just a meeting spot. I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t give us away before we started the real fun.”

The grin grew even more unsettling as the arm at her back nudged her forward, leading her towards the other side of the parking lot where a new van was waiting. “As for your choice in wardrobe, it will suffice for now. We’ll get you a mask later and see if we can’t find something more professional for next time. Maybe something to match your brother; a sibling pair will seem so formidable. But for now, business awaits. The night may be young but where bats fly, we must fly faster to avoid their wings.”

They stopped next to the van and Hatter opened the door, taking his hat off and bowing for Anne to go first. The girl clambered inside, sitting herself on the installed benches placed on either side of the interior. Hatter seated himself across from her while his men clambered into the front seats.

“Gentlemen, to the Observatory if you please.” He grinned as the van started and pulled out of the parking lot just as the streetlight spluttered back to life, throwing a cold glow over the wet concrete.

 wvw

The quiet clatter of shoes on metal was lost in the night as Robin landed on the dark fire escape. Shrouded in darkness, it took mere seconds for him to unlock the window, slide it open, and disappear inside unseen.

He crouched and listened for a moment before clicking on his flashlight. The bright beam revealed a living room, small and messy with a blanket thrown over the couch and an alarm clock displaying the late time in glowing red. A quick sweep of the apartment proved it empty, the only proof of recent activity being rain soaked clothes left on the bathroom floor. Robin tapped his earpiece.

“What did you find?” Batman’s gravelly voice asked in greeting.

“The apartment’s empty. I found some wet clothes in the bathroom, they look like the ones Anne was wearing earlier today. Guess she changed and left again.”

“Any sign of Hatter and his men?”

“Not that I can see,” the boy answered once back in the living room. “Doesn’t look like she took anything with her so she’s not skipping town.”

“Probably expects to be back soon too. Keep looking. See if you find any more clues.”

Robin rolled his eyes behind his mask. “Already on it. Any news on the van?”

He could almost _hear_ the scowl over the line. "Dead end. I found it abandoned outside the city limits. Stolen with fake license plates."

"Think they knew we were tracking them?"

"More likely they wanted to keep recognition to a minimum. We'll check the docks around where they stopped later."

The boy grimaced at the thought but didn't argue, continuing his inspection of the apartment. The only noteworthy clues so far were piles of dirty dishes and crowded boxes of takeout littering the counter. Only when he turned from his check by the front door did a crumpled shape half hidden under the couch catch his attention. “I think I found something.”

“What is it?”

Robin fished out the balled up piece of paper and unfolded it, smoothing out the barely legible words. “Some sort of note. _Gotham Museum of … eleven o’clock..._ looks like Hatter gave Anne a meeting place. That’s probably where she is.”

“It’s already past eleven. Hurry to the museum, I’ll be there in ten minutes. Batman out.”

The radio silenced as Robin slipped the note in is belt for later investigating. As he hurried back towards the window, his glove brushed over a picture facing opposite from the front entrance.

Anne was laughing, green eyes bright as she waved from her perch on her brother’s back. The surprised looked Edward was smiling sheepishly, a folded crossword in his hand as he was interrupted from his brain teaser. Both seemed younger, seated on a bench at Gotham Park that looked warm and green behind them. Robin barely glanced at the photo before he had disappeared back out the window, leaving a pinhead-sized camera watching from the frame of the happy memory.

 wvw

“How’s our cover coming?” Hatter asked for at least the dozenth time in ten minutes. He was still smiling but it was growing more forced and tense by the second. Anne kept giving him concerned looks, waiting for when he would finally lose his cool.

The four of them were on the roof of Gotham Observatory Labs. It was darker outside the city and colder without the buildings to buffer the wind some. The girl was seated on the ledge, knees hugged to her chest as she pulled her gloves on to keep warm and watched the grey glow of the never ending city lights in the distance.

“Almost there boss,” the henchman answered, pulling up another paneling to mess with some more equipment. “Just got to cut wires to disable cameras, door locks go down, security goes off line, and all calls get blocked.”

Hatter huffed. “Just hurry up before my hat freezes off.” Anne forced herself not to cringe when Hatter walked over to hover by her. “And you, Annie. You remember your part?”

She frowned and bit back a retort. “Yeah. Down the hall, second left, third lab on the right, satellite six in lock box three.”

“Four,” he chastised, waving his hand with a tut. “Lock box four. Don’t mess this up, Annie, or your burglaring career will be short lived.”

The not so subtle threat made her shiver and she nodded stiffly, standing to stretch out her arms just as one of the men called them over.

“Got it. Everything’s set.” They gathered around an open skylight and a rope lowered down just enough to brush the floor. Anne forced herself to take a deep breath, double checking her scarf was still over her face.

Hatter patted her shoulder in mock support. “Alright, Annie. Time to shine! You have eight minutes before security starts getting suspicious. Get in, grab the satellite, get out. It's small but heavy so don't drop it; it's no good to be damaged. And one more thing…” he flashed her a sharp grin as he tapped the brim of his top hat, “Do make sure you get back on time. I would hate for you to get caught on _accident_. Your poor brother may not be able to handle the _shock_ if we lost you.”

The girl shot him a green eyed glare over her makeshift mask but nodded again, grabbing the rope and slid down, feeling the damped heat through her gloves before touching silently to the floor.

Seven minutes.


	8. Chapter 7

“And you haven’t seen anything tonight? No suspicious activity or people?”

“No sir,” the security guard shook his head, looking back and forth from the tall, dark man to the teen in bright colors. “Our cameras out back were acting up but it was just a few minutes. No one was there when I went to look. Bernie’s been keeping an eye on all cameras and I’ve check all the exhibits twice.”

Batman frowned, one arm crossed over his chest while his free hand rubbed his chin in thought. “Mind if we take a look around just to be sure?”

The guard shrugged. “Be my guest. I’m about to head back the east wing for another round. Just give a shout if you need help out.”

The two heroes nodded as they were left to their investigation. Clicking on their flashlights, they headed back towards the main hall. The smoggy glow of the city illuminated the chamber through the domed skylight, cutting sharp shadows behind guiding signs, exhibition teasers, and large, stone pillars that circled along the walls. The quiet tap of their boots against the polished floor echoed around the chamber as they searched further in.

“I don’t get it,” Robin whispered against the muffled silence, rereading the crumpled note for the dozenth time. “They should have been here by now. Maybe it’s for another night?”

“I doubt it. If the cameras weren’t working, Hatter probably jammed the signal while they were here. This must have just been their rendezvous point.”    

“So where were they _really_ headed?”

A quiet beep and flashing light on Batman’s utility belt interrupted the conversation. He retrieved the transmitter and read the coordinates with narrowed eyes.

“Gotham Observatory. Let’s go.”

Both turned at once and ran to the exit, leaving the silent relics behind as they made their way towards their next clue.

wvw

Gordon stood at a distance, watching the far off lights of the city while police milled about outside the Observatory. Montoya and Bullock were questioning security while more of their men investigated the roof, documenting the cut wires and tampered skylight. The older man shivered in the night chill and huddled in his trench coat, waiting for anything new to be reported.

“Commissioner,” a deep voice growled behind him. Gordon managed to disguise his flinch as a tired sigh and turned to see the shadowy bat silhouette materialize from the surrounding darkness.

“You sure got here fast,” he said, waving a few rookies distracted by the newcomer back to their assignments. “We just got here a few minutes ago ourselves. A few minutes too late, anyways.”

Batman’s trademark frown deepened. “Hatter again?”

“It was him, alright, and his new riddle loving friend. The guard got knocked out before he saw much but the cameras kicked back on when they were getting away. Looks like they got another one working with them now. Managed to sneak ‘em past security through the roof and made off with one of the prototype satellites. First Star Labs, then here. Where next?”

“Did anyone see them get away?”

Gordon shook his head wearily. “They were already gone by the time my men even received the distress call. We don’t even have a vehicle ID to track.”

A stretch of silence blanketed the cool air between them, broken only by the whistle of the wind or the carried voices of the investigating police. When Batman spoke, the sudden, gravelly voice almost made Gordon jump again.

“We’ll take a look at the security feed and let you know what we find.”

“I’ll try to get you a copy if you don’t already have–” but when the older man turned to look, the dark figure had vanished into thin air. “–one. I never get how he does that.”

wvw

The distant rumble of turbo engines grew into a steady roar as the Batmobile sped into the cave, coming to a silent stop at the end of the platform. The vehicle powered down, leaving only the irritable squeaks of disturbed bats fluttering above. It was dark, all the lights shut off for the night, leaving only the computer’s multiple screens to illuminate the cavern.

Dick was sitting crossed legged in the chair, cape and mask discarded on the floor for Alfred to scold him over later. He barely glanced up as Bruce crossed the room, leaving his own cape and cowl draped over one of the work tables.

“Anything on the security feed?”

The teen’s usually cheery smile was lost in a frown. “Not much. The system was down completely before the emergency backup kicked in.” He tapped a few keys, bringing up multiple views of the Observatory, a few guards idly monitoring halls or checking entrances. One camera’s feed, though, was enlarged to show a few seconds of a top hat and mocking smile before cutting to static.

“That was the last recording until their escape.” Another command was typed on the keyboard, sending each of the static filled views fast-forwarding a few minutes until a well-timed click slowed them. The camera flickered back to life just in time to catch Hatter, Riddler, two bulky men, and a smaller figure a few paces back running out the front door.

“There,” Bruce ordered, leaning over the chair to point. “The fifth person.”

“On it.” Dick rewound and paused the footage, zooming in on the back part of the image. It took a few minutes for the computer to enhance the blurred shape into a more recognizable figure.

They were shorter than the rest of the group and much more slender. The body shape and long braid deduced a female though still young. The dark of the room kept any identifying colors muted and a scarf obscured most of her face but there was a familiarity that made Dick uneasy.

“Gordon said Hatter had some sort of new thief sneak in through the skylight and make off with a prototype satellite while security was down. They must have some skill if they managed to bypass the other security.” The unasked question hung in the air between them, tense and charged like the sky before an electric storm.

“You think Anne is helping them,” Dick finally muttered, his frown deepening as he studied the thief.

“Maybe not willingly but her connection to Riddler makes her a possible accomplice.” There was a curt nod in agreement. Bruce set a comforting hand on his ward’s shoulder. “Talk to her and see what you can find out. If it’s not her, there’s nothing to worry about. If it is, we’ll see what we can do to help.” Another nod but the frown was less prominent. Bruce gave one last squeeze before turning towards the stairs. “It’s almost dawn. Go get some sleep. We’ll figure out more later.”

“Yes sir.” Dick turned back to the computer to save the image to the evidence folder and double checked one of the smaller side monitors.

The Nygmas’ apartment as still the same way he had left it the night before; quiet and empty. He had checked on it every few minutes since setting the bug but no one had so much as knocked on the door in the long hours since. Leaving the footage recording to watch later, Dick jumped to his feet and followed his mentor up the stairs to the manor, the abandoned apartment on screen slowly starting to glow in the light of the rising sun.


	9. Chapter 8

Anne jerked her head up, catching herself nodding off for the third time in ten minutes. It was late. Or early. She wasn’t entirely sure what time it was but she did know three things; the sun was up. She had been awake all night. And she was tired. The loud noises of the trafficked docks and the fishy smell of the warehouse didn’t make for good sleeping ambiance, though.

Neither did the unsavory company she was still forced to share.

Two of the thugs, Frank and Luke if she remembered right, were across the warehouse. They were using the stacked crates and oil drums as uncomfortable, make-shift beds. Their friend Earl was keeping watch through a crack out one of the boarded up windows. Every once in a while, he would yawn and shake his head, fighting off the drowsiness.

Hatter and Riddler, meanwhile, seemed uninterested in sleep.

Anne hugged her knees and glanced at her brother’s green clad form to her left. After returning, Hatter had ordered Edward to get to work and work he had without question. A large collection of computers and hard drives all interconnected on a desk of crates. Each screen was running separate codes and files too complex for Anne to follow but a challenging mind teaser for Ed as he tapped at the keyboards and rubbed his chin in thought.

He had been more himself since their return, Hatter’s control fading from the mindless zombie to the puzzle loving brother she thought she had lost. Every few minutes, she would catch him glancing her way, a mixed look of guilt and worry barely peeking behind his mask. Anne just turned away, not sure what to say, unable to meet his eye.

Or glance at the satellite perched like a trophy on the table, a reminder of her crimes.

“I dare say, dear Annie,” Hatter’s British tone cut into her thoughts. While Ed worked and the others rested, Hatter had been busy bent over a sewing machine for most of the morning, the constant whirling grating against Anne’s already strained nerves. “Congratulations are in order. You did even better than expected.”

Anne had to bite her cheek to keep from retorting and settled on a silent, green eyed glare. Hatter didn’t seem to notice.

“As a sign of good faith, we have let you see our hide out. Perhaps you will be more cooperative now that we’ve extended our trust to you.”

Anne dug her nails into her legs till she was sure she would draw blood through her pants. “You can’t trust me that much if you won’t let me go home. I got what you wanted and my brother’s fixing your stupid machine. What more do you want?”

Hatter tutted, the machine finally whirling to a stop as he grinned at her. “Oh, this was only the beginning, little Annie. I have a few more items you will need to acquire for me. And once Eddie completes my creation, you two, as promised, will be free to go.” He turned to Riddler with a flourish. “I’ve even returned your dear brother’s mind to you. Most of it, anyways. I’m keeping him subdued with some controlled persuasion. Wouldn’t want him going against our plan now would we?”

Edward’s shoulders tensed and his mouth set in a tight line as he listened to the conversation but didn’t speak. His heated stare looked ready to burn a hole through the shorter man but after a few moments, Ed turned back to the computers to continued working. Hatter’s grin turned from friendly to hideous triumph. “There, you see? Just a few more days and everyone gets to go home happy.”

The girl stared blankly at him and turned her face away, tucking her cheek against her knees to study the metal wall.

“Oh, don’t mope now. Here, I’ve made you a gift!”

She barely had time to glance up before brightly colored fabric was thrust in her lap. She glanced at Hatter suspiciously before holding it up. It took her a second to realize it was a leotard.

It was more than what she was used to wearing in class with leggings and sleeves reaching down to the wrist. The vivid colors of the cloth were a match to her brother’s Riddler costume. Emerald green covered the shoulders, sleeves, and tights while the mid body was alternated in violet. On the left breast, a cursive A was carefully embroidered.

“There now. Just what you needed. Something professional to match your brother. An _Anne-swer_ to my Riddler,” he winked, setting a pile of more purple items at her side. After a few seconds of confused staring, Hatter raised his hands dismissively. “No need to thank me. I borrowed the leotard from your gym bag for sizing. I guessed the rest so we can adjust it later if need be. You can wear it tonight for your next mission.” He patted her on the head in mock tenderness before strolling away. “Get some rest now, Annie. You have a big debut tonight.”

Anne carefully folded the new uniform and set it to the side, swallowing down the nausea threatening to ruin it. In the purple pile, she found boots, gloves, and a domino mask all in the same shade of matching violet. Shoving it all out of the way, she curled up on one of the crates and fought the prickling behind her eyes, the empty holes of her new mask watching her without pity.

wvw

The day passed slowly. Slower than Dick’s worrisome mind was comfortable with. He went to school and spent most of the day watching the clock, tuning out the teachers and their lectures. Finally, the bell rang and he ran outside to meet Alfred waiting with the car.

Alfred immediately noticed the boy’s unusual silence as he drove them back to the manor. “Everything alright, Master Richard?”

“Yeah,” Dick said, head leaned against the window as he stared outside.

“Perhaps we could stop by the Nygma residence and see if your friend made it home?”

Dick glanced at him in the rear view mirror. “Did anything show up on the camera?”

The butler’s small smile tightened into a thin line. “Regretfully no, sir.”

“Then she didn’t make it home.”

He turned away with a frown, blue eyes studying the soft leather and polished oak interior with little enthusiasm.

“Chin up, Master Dick. Miss Nygma is bound to turn up eventually. She may just be staying at a friend’s house in her brother’s absence.”

The teen snorted from the back seat. “Friends that kidnap her in an unmarked van? That’s a little too weird to believe.”

Alfred arched a gray eyebrow at him. “’Weird’ like dressing up as a bird to fight crime at night?”      

Dick blushed. “Point taken.”

“I understand you are worried about Miss Nygma’s safety.”

“I just–,” Dick started, face pulled taunt and bitter as he searched for the words. “I mean…what if she if working with her brother? What if she is a criminal and I just didn’t see it? She could have tricked me. What if–"

“Do you really believe that, Master Richard?” Alfred cut in, giving him a look that was both gentle and stern.

A heavy silence filled the car as Dick mulled the words over. “I don’t want to,” he finally admitted. “She’s nice. And honest. I don’t want to believe she would turn to crime willingly. I just want to talk to her and find out the truth.”

Alfred gave an understanding nod. “As do we all.”

The car finally pulled through the gated driveway and slowed to a stop outside the mansion. “Master Bruce will be arrived a little late this evening. He wished for you to finish your homework and meet him in the cave when he arrives. I’ll be making dinner if you need me.”

“Thanks, Alfred.”

The elderly man gave him a rare, warm smile. “Any time, Master Dick.”

wvw

 “Here we are,” Hatter cheered, the blindfold finally falling away. Anne’s eyes adjusted as the side door slid open to the night. Hatter leapt out first, humming to himself with a pep in his step. Edward followed after him, more animated and himself than she had seen him all day. He immediately started barking orders and directing the henchmen as they unloaded their gear. Reluctantly, Anne joined the others outside the vehicle to survey their next target.

“The Power Plant?” she asked, refusing to glance at her brother or the maniac in the top hat.

“Yes, my dear,” Hatter said with a smile, “The second piece of our puzzle is up there just waiting to be found.”

Anne frowned and fought to keep the bitterness from her words. “And what exactly are you making me steal this time?”

Surprisingly, Edward answered. “ A small but powerful generator. There’s a few of them here being tested as backup generators. We need one as a power source.”

“How big is this thing? Am I even going to be able to carry it out?”

“No no no, little Annie!” Hatter cried, laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. She had half a mind to smack it off. “That’s what we have muscle for! You, on the other hand, are our ticket inside.”

He fished in his coat pocket and pulled out a folded paper that spread out into blue prints across the hood of the van. “Now pay attention, Answer; you’ll start here,” he pointed to a window and traced along the drawn lines. “Then you’ll make your way to the guard room, use these to knock them out,” he set a hand full of marble sized pellets to one side, “And from there, you just shut down the security system and open the door from your side. Simple enough!”

Hatter’s grin dulled at Anne’s frown.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be walking you through it on this end,” Edward spoke up, setting a small earpiece next to the pellets.

Anne’s confusion turned to irritation. “That’s comforting,” she snapped. Ed flinched and she almost felt regret for the jab but ignored it as she shoved the radio into her ear.

“Oh, I almost forgot the most important part!” Hatter took his hat off and pulled out the purple domino like a magic trick. “You thought I would forget!” His tone was teasing but the extra edge in his smile and slight glint in his eye was more of a subtle threat as the mask was handed over.

It felt sticky and stiff around her eyes and each twitch on her face pulled at the glue.

“I know, not very comfortable. But you’ll get used to it. Just be careful not to lose it again.” Hatter dropped the pellets into her hand before looping his arm through hers. “Alright then; the nights ticking away. Good luck, Annie. And remember,” the grip on her arm turned bruising as Hatter marched her towards the building, “Any funny business and…well I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure it out.”

He tapped the brim of his hat with a hard stare before the smile returned and she was released. “And do make it fast, dear. I’d like some tea to celebrate when we get back.”

Anne gave a shaky nod as the Hatter bowed and turned away. Her relief was short lived as Ed’s voice crackled through, directing her to the fifth story. Shaking the tremble from her hands, Anne found a service ladder and began to climb.


End file.
